Published on 6/30/2026
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Last update: 7/1/2026 00:42 (Mecca time)
The poignant statements of Moroccan star and defender Issa Diop, following the Netherlands match in the round of 32 of the World Cup, received great interaction and wide praise from Moroccan and Arab fans.
Diop’s killer goal in stoppage time returned the match between Morocco and the Netherlands to the starting point, forcing two additional halves and then penalty kicks, which smiled at the “Atlas Lions”, who were on the verge of exit.
Praise for Issa Diop’s statements
Diop said after the end of the exciting match: “We are a Muslim country and a Muslim people… and we must thank God,” referring to the Atlas Lions’ qualification to the round of 16, thanks to their victory over the Netherlands on penalties.
A wide segment of fans expressed their pride in the messages and moral system that the Moroccan team displays in international forums.
One of the fans commented on the players’ adherence to their identity and values, saying: “I am very proud of the values and pillars that this team holds and represents…and remember how some tried to distort our image and slander us before, and now the response comes on the field.”
In a related context, tweeters reacted to these positive statements, as a fan wrote, expressing his great admiration for the Moroccan national team, in short: “This is why I love Morocco.”
The tweets were not without sending strong messages praising Diop’s performance on the field, as tweeters expressed their full support for the player after his heroic performance and decisive goal, demanding that he continue to silence the doubters in every match, commenting: “May God bless you, Issa, continue to close mouths like this in every confrontation.”
While another fan severely criticized those who sharply criticized the player in previous matches, saying: “Everyone who previously attacked Diop should be ashamed of himself now… Watch your words, whether he played well or badly, and thank you, Issa.”
In the context of artistic praise for the dazzling level presented by the English Fulham defender and the scorer of the killer equaliser, international fans reacted to his World Cup brilliance. A tweeter wrote, expressing his astonishment at what Diop offers: “I cannot describe how happy I am for you! I did not expect or see these tremendous abilities in you before.. You are a great player and deserve a much better club than Fulham.”
Diop, man of the Morocco-Netherlands match
Issa Diop was crowned the best player in the match against the Netherlands, and the Moroccan national team’s account published a video clip documenting the “Atlas Lions” players celebrating their teammate after he was chosen.
The national team’s account also published another clip that captured the Moroccan star’s reaction and joy after receiving the World Cup award, commenting: “Praise be to God.”
The national team’s account also published a third clip that monitored the Moroccan star’s reaction and his overwhelming joy immediately after receiving the World Cup award inside the locker room, amid loud greetings from his teammates and the technical staff.
Diop had played the role of savior in the historic match, as he snatched a fatal draw for the Atlas Lions in the final breath with a golden header that went into the Dutch net in the first minute of stoppage time, after the Netherlands had been ahead with a clean goal scored in the 72nd minute, leading the match to penalty kicks that smiled at the Moroccans.
Issa Diop was born in France, and played with it in the under-21 team, but last March, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) approved his request to change his sporting nationality to Morocco, so that he could join the starting lineup in the 2026 World Cup.
